FLASH
Shkruar nga Endri Kajsiu
The majority of the DP's MPs are loyal to Berisha. The structures remain in his political trenches and disciplined.
The May 11 elections produced a clear result on the institutional level: Edi Rama and the Socialist Party secured a solid victory, with 83 mandates and the fourth consecutive governing mandate. But in the personal, strategic and political dimension, the elections have produced another winner, less visible but no less important: Sali Berisha.
In a political reality where he was internationally isolated, under criminal investigation, under house arrest, and without a formally recognized party leadership, Berisha not only survived, but in many respects won. Here's why.
1. Absolute consolidation at the top of the DP
Berisha regained formal and real control of the Democratic Party, leading it out of a period of disunity, disorganization, and lack of direction. Taking the seal was not just a legal matter, but a political act that restored his legitimacy as leader. An act that many see as the product of Edi Rama's silence or acquiescence.
2. Release from arrest – a political turn
The decision to release him from house arrest coincided with his return to the party leadership and active involvement in the campaign. Physical freedom turned into political freedom. Berisha appeared again on the ground, in front of the base, taking on the role of the uncontested leader of the real opposition.
3. The DP under his leadership is the second political force
The May 11 election result confirmed the Democratic Party, under Berisha, as the second largest political force in the country, with 50 seats — a far cry from the third-largest party, which secured only three. In a climate where there was no real chance of seizing power, this result is politically a victory.
4. Controlled parliamentary group
The group of DP deputies is, in the majority, loyal to Berisha. The structures remain in his political trenches and disciplined. Any different voice is neutralized in a gentle way, through moral pressures or “professional” suggestions to withdraw from politics. This control makes it clear that Berisha has not only the party, but also the instruments to inherit it as he wishes.
5. Remodeling relations with the US
Berisha could not get rid of the "non-women", but the Americans are no longer active in relation to him. There are no more statements, no exclusions, no attempts at public isolation. In a way, silence is what he wanted: not to be excluded, but to be silently ignored. For him, this is a victory.
6. Mandate, a shield for the battle with justice
While he moves the battle with SPAK to the courtroom, Berisha conducts it as an MP and as party leader. At the pace of Albanian justice, the process could take four years or more. Until then, he remains active, present and institutionally protected.
7. Protection of family interests
500 thousand votes are a political capital that helps him not only to maintain his position as a leader, but also to protect the interests of his family. In Albania, political power is also a means of avoiding criminal prosecution. In this regard, Berisha has temporarily secured the protection he needs.
8. Coexistence with Rama
Berisha is no longer Rama's unstoppable opponent, but part of a silent equation where both sides coexist for their own interests. Rama gets a fifth mandate; Berisha keeps the DP and the position as a factor. The lack of real clash between them is the strongest indicator of this new balance.
In conclusion: If the May 11 elections were a battle for power, Berisha had no chance of winning. But elections do not just produce governance — they provide legitimacy, political power, moral immunity, and control over the instruments of the opposition. In all these respects, Berisha is the silent but undisputed winner of May 11.
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